


Monster

by womanfromblackwater



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 11:14:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25349827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/womanfromblackwater/pseuds/womanfromblackwater
Summary: Jack hears a monster in the woods outside camp every night and calls on his Pa to face the evil
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24





	Monster

“Pa?”

“Mmm?” 

“Can I sleep with you tonight? I don’t want the monster to get me.”

Too tired to ask questions or argue, John hauled Jack’s tiny form onto his cot. It would be easier to just give in and get some sleep. It had to be close to three in the morning. The kid’s nightmares could wait until sunrise.

———————————————————

“You can’t just go runnin’ off like that. You know how worried I was?”

The boy hung his head in shame.   
“Sorry, Mama. But the monster was getting close. I had to go somewhere safe and Pa’s tent closes all the way.”

“You went to- oh, Jack. Darlin’, I know that’s your pa, but he ain’t always… ready to take care of you. If you was having a nightmare you should have told me.”

“It wasn’t a nightmare!” Jack stamped his foot. “It was a real monster and it was in the woods! It followed us from our last camp!”

His outburst was interrupted by John approaching their tent. Not wanting to cause more of a scene, Abigail spoke before he could.

“John, he’s sorry for waking you last night. Jack, apologize. You can’t be jumpin’ on people in the night.”

Jack scuffed his foot in the dirt and mumbled an apology. 

“I wouldn’t have had to if there wasn’t a monster. You believe me, don’t you, Pa?”

“It’s probably just an animal, Jack, nothin’ to worry about. Does it howl? Might be a coyote.”

“No! It’s not a coyote. It makes a growling, gurgling sound. Like this!”

John had no idea how to describe the noise the boy made. It definitely didn’t sound like anything he’d heard before. 

Seeing that neither of his parents believed him, Jack started to cry in frustration. 

“You’re not gonna listen and its gonna get me! The monster’s gonna get me and its gonna get Mama and its gonna be all your fault!”

Abigail was making to grab Jack when John sighed and spoke.

“Would it make you feel better if I stayed here tonight? You’ll get some sleep and see that there ain’t no monster. Then you’ll stay in your own bed. Deal?”

Jack cheered instantly, spitting in his palm and holding it out to John. 

“Deal.”

———————————————————

It was full dark out, but John hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep. Getting Jack settled with the excitement of John’s presence hadn’t been easy, then he’d clumsily tried to settle himself close enough to be a comfort, but far enough that Abigail wouldn’t think he was trying to take liberties. 

It didn’t help that he was extra alert to every sound coming from the woods. He didn’t believe in monsters, of course, but there were animals that could do some real damage, and the tent was uncomfortably open and close to the tree line. 

He’d resigned himself to spending the whole night staring at the sky when he heard a branch snap behind him. It was followed by a sound very similar to the one Jack had made earlier, and was definitely coming closer. A glance at the boy showed terrified, wide-awake eyes. 

Reaching next to his bedroll, John found a sturdy branch, closer to a log, really. He slowly stood, listening intently to the nearing footsteps and mumbling groans. Certainly didn’t sound like no coyote. The creature had entered the camp and was nearly at the tent when John swung the log, terror mixing with an instinctive need to keep Jack safe.

The creature let out a howl, hissing and waving its limbs as John scrambled to light a lantern. He braced himself for the horror he was about to witness and swung the light over the writhing thing on the ground. Recognition dawned on him,

“Goddammit, Uncle!”


End file.
